The invention pertains to an apparatus and method for connecting together sections of a coaxial radio frequency transmission line.
Various arrangements are known for connecting together two sections of a radio frequency transmission line. In the case of sectional coaxial transmission lines, it is desirable to have a connector that can electrically connect the coaxial inner conductor portions of adjacent sections.
One problem with prior connectors is that they sometimes require a relatively high insertion force in order to achieve the desired degree of electrical contact. Another problem is that when the coaxial lines are arranged vertically, a connector can disperse undesirable metallic particles onto the insulator of the conductor.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a coaxial connector that can provide a relatively low insertion force with a relatively high electrical contact and that can avoid disbursing metallic conductive particles on the insulator.
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided which connects a first coaxial transmission line section to a second coaxial transmission line section. The apparatus comprises an inner conductor body mounted to the first coaxial inner conductor. A connector sleeve is mounted to the inner conductor body, and an annular multiple finger contact element, which has a total axial length and is deformable in the radial direction along the entire total axial length, is mounted to the connector sleeve and surrounds at least a portion of the connector sleeve. At least one annular multiple finger spring ring is disposed between the connector sleeve and the multiple finger contact to resiliently support the multiple finger contact, and the multiple finger contact is insertable into the second coaxial inner conductor in order to provide a contact with the inner conductor.
In another aspect of the invention, a multiple finger contact element is provided that has fingers that extend along the total axial length of the contact.
In another aspect of the invention, a hood is provided to catch the metallic particles resulting from wear due to movement of the contact.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract included below, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.